Man sentenced to 8 years for fatal DUI hit-and-run on Bayou Texar bridge in Pensacola

PENSCOLA, Fla. -- A man was sentenced to eight years in prison for a DUI hit-and-run on Pensacola's Bayou Texar bridge in 2022 that killed a 41-year-old man.

John Kings, 40, pleaded no contest in January.

A judge sentenced him on Thursday to eight years in state prison -- four-year minimum mandatory -- followed by 10 years probation.

The crash happened on August 15, 2022, around 3:30 a.m. on East Cervantes Street at the Bayou Texar bridge in Pensacola.

The fatal victim was 41-year-old Travis Hurd. Pensacola Police officers located him deceased on scene upon arrival.

Kings was arrested that same night. According to an arrest report, police were able to track down his vehicle by the parts located at the scene of the crash.

The report states that when contacted by police, Kings told officers he was not aware of the incident. He then said "he fell in front of me," contradicting the statement he made prior.

According to the report, post Miranda, Kings told police he was driving home and had hit a cardboard box in the same location Hurd had been struck.